Trim panel with integrally formed attachment member

ABSTRACT

A trim panel ( 10 ) includes an integrally formed attachment member ( 14 ) for mounting an acoustic device ( 16 ), such as a loudspeaker, an exciter, a piezoelectric transducer, or the like, directly to the trim panel ( 10 ) without the need of a separate mounting member. The acoustic device ( 16 ) is attached to the trim panel ( 10 ) by use a twist and lock fastening feature ( 18 ) in the form of a ramp surface ( 24 ) that draws the acoustic device ( 16 ) toward the trim panel ( 10 ) as the acoustic device ( 16 ) is rotated about the attachment member ( 14 ). Once the acoustic device ( 16 ) is rotated into place, one or more detents ( 26 ) are provided on the trim panel ( 10 ) and one or more corresponding detent grooves or recesses ( 32 ) are provided on the acoustic device ( 16 ) to lock the acoustic device ( 16 ) securely in place. The integrally formed attachment member ( 14 ) enables the inner and outer surfaces ( 11, 12 ) of the trim panel ( 10 ) to be a generally continuous surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The inventions relates in general to the attachment of an accessory to atrim panel, and in particular to a trim panel with an integrally formedattachment member for mounting an acoustic device, such as aloudspeaker, an exciter, a piezoelectric transducer or the like, to thetrim panel.

2. Description of the Related Art

An acoustic device, such as an electrodynamic exciter, applies bendingwave energy to a trim panel to cause the trim panel to resonate andproduce an acoustic output. Typically, the exciter comprises a magnetassembly rigidly fixed to a housing to define an annular gap, and avoice coil and coil former assembly disposed in the annular gap andrigidly fixed to the trim panel near to the geometric center thereof.

Typically, the acoustic device is mounted to the trim panel by using aseparate mounting member, such as a mounting plate, that is fixedlyattached to the trim panel using one or more fasteners, such as screws,or the like. After the separate mounting member is fixedly attached tothe trim panel, such as by bonding, the acoustic device can be attachedto the trim panel. However, the need for a separate mounting member andthe time required to fixedly attach the separate mounting member to thetrim panel increases the overall cost associated with mounting theacoustic device to the trim panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors of the present invention have recognized these and otherproblems associated with a separate mounting member and the additionalstep necessary for fixedly attaching the separate mounting member to thetrim panel. To this end, the inventors have developed a trim panel withan integrally formed attachment member for mounting an acoustic device,such as a loudspeaker, an exciter, a piezoelectric transducer, or thelike, directly to the trim panel without the need of a separate mountingmember. The acoustic device is attached to the trim panel by using atwist and lock fastening feature in the form of an attachment memberwith a ramp surface that draws the acoustic device toward the trim panelas the acoustic device is rotated about the attachment member. Once theacoustic device is rotated into place, one or more detents are providedon the trim panel and corresponding one or more corresponding recessesare provided on the acoustic device to lock the acoustic device securelyin place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a trim panel with an integrallyformed attachment for mounting a loudspeaker according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of the trim panel of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of the trim panel of FIG. 1 takenalong line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a trim panel 10 includes an inner surface 11 andan outer surface 12. The trim panel 10 may be in the form of a vehicularheadliner, door panel, valence panel, dashboard, package tray, or thelike. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the trim panel 10 mayform a door panel in which the inner surface 11 forms a Class “B”surface that faces away from the interior of the vehicle and is notvisible to the occupants, and the outer surface 12 forms a Class “A”surface that faces the interior of the vehicle and is visible to theoccupants.

The trim panel 10 includes an attachment member 14 for attaching anacoustic device 16, such as a loudspeaker, an exciter, a piezoelectrictransducer, or the like, to the trim panel 10. One aspect of theinvention is that the attachment member 14 is integrally formed with thetrim panel 10 using known molding techniques, such as injection molding,or the like. For example, the attachment member 14 can be integrallyformed with the trim panel 10 by using slides in a mold tool (not shown)that forms the trim panel 10. Preferably, the attachment member 14 isintegrally formed with the trim panel 10 at a location of the trim panel10 that has a substantially flat topography to accommodate thesubstantially flat profile of the acoustic device 16. However, theinvention can be practiced at other locations of the trim panel that donot have a substantially flat topography.

Another aspect of the invention is that integrally formed attachmentmember 14 enables the inner and outer surfaces 11, 12 to be generallycontinuous, unlike conventional mounting systems in which an opening maybe necessary for mounting the acoustic device 16.

In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment member 14 includes a pairof opposing, substantially identical mounting portions 18. Each mountingportion includes a first end 19, a second end 21, and a side surface 23between the first end 19 and the second end 21. Each mounting portion 18is substantially arcuate in shape having a lower mounting portion 20 andan upper mounting portion 22. The lower mounting portion 20 has agreater width or radial thickness than the upper mounting portion 22such that a ledge 24 is formed in the upper surface of the lowermounting portion 20, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The side surface 23extends between the lower mounting portion 20 and the ledge 24. The sidesurface 23 extending between the lower mounting portion 20 and the ledge24 is defined by a height H. The upper mounting portion 22 projectsoutwardly substantially perpendicular to the inner surface 11 of thetrim panel 10, whereas the lower mounting portion 20 projects outwardlysubstantially perpendicular to the upper mounting portion 22.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the ledge 24 of one of the mounting members 18is separated from the inner surface 11 at a first distance, d₁, and theledge 24 of the other one of the mounting members 18 is separated fromthe inner surface 11 at a second distance, d₂. In the illustratedembodiment, the distance, d₁, is greater than the distance, d₂, suchthat the ledges 24 provide a ramp surface to move the acoustic device 16toward the trim panel 10 when the acoustic device 16 is rotated in afirst direction about the vertical axis, V. On the other hand, the rampsurface causes the acoustic device 16 to move away from the trim panel10 when the acoustic device 16 is rotated in a second direction that isopposite to the first direction. While the illustrated embodiment showsa pair of substantially identical opposing mounting members 18, it willbe appreciated that the invention can be practiced with any desirednumber of mounting members, for example, a single mounting memberforming an uninterrupted mounting member having a circular shape. Themounting member 18 also includes a pair of detents 26 for locking theacoustic device 16 in place.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the acoustic device 16 includes asubstantially planar upper surface 28 and an opening 30 for mounting theacoustic device 16 to the attachment member 18. The upper surface 28includes a pair of opposing detent grooves or recesses 32 capable ofreceiving the detents 26 integrally formed in the trim panel 10 to lockthe acoustic device 16 in place. The opening 30 in the upper surface 28of the acoustic device 16 is approximately the same dimension as thedistance between the outer surfaces of the upper mounting portions 22,as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 3. The opening 30 also includesa pair of cutouts 34 for allowing the acoustic device 16 to be insertedover the lower mounting portions 20 of the attachment member 18.

To install the acoustic device 16 to the trim panel 10, the acousticdevice 16 is aligned with the attachment member 18 such that the cutouts34 are directly over the lower mounting portions 20. Then, the acousticdevice 16 is moved toward the attachment member 18 until the lowermounting portions 20 are received within the cutouts 34. Next, theacoustic device 16 is rotated in a first, counterclockwise direction tomove the acoustic device 16 toward the trim panel 10. The acousticdevice 16 is rotated until the upper surface is in close proximity tothe trim panel 10 and the detents 26 are received in the detent groovesor recesses 32 to lock the acoustic device 16 in place. When the detents26 are received in the detent grooves 32, the cutouts 34 are notpositioned over the lower mounting portions 24 of the attachment member,as shown in FIG. 2. To remove the acoustic device 16, the acousticdevice 16 is rotated in a second, clockwise direction.

As described above, the acoustic device 16 is attached to the trim panel10 by use a twist and lock fastening feature in the form of theattachment member 18 with a ramp surface that draws the acoustic device16 toward the trim panel 10 as the acoustic device 16 is rotated aboutthe attachment member 18. In addition, the integrally formed attachmentmember 18 does not require a separate mounting plate for mounting theacoustic device 16 to the trim panel, unlike conventional mountingdevices, thereby eliminating the need for holes in the trim panel forattaching the separate mounting plate to the trim panel. Thus, theintegrally formed attachment member 18 provides a more aesthetic Class“A” surface than conventional attachment members.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thisis by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of theappended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art willpermit.

1. An apparatus for retaining an acoustic device, comprising: a trimpanel having an inner surface and an outer surface; and an attachmentmember integrally formed with said inner surface of the trim panel,wherein the attachment member includes at least one mounting portion,wherein the at least one mounting portion includes a first end, a secondend opposite the first end, a side surface between the first end and thesecond end, wherein the side surface defines the at least one mountingportion in include a ramping, increasing height as the side surfaceextends from the first end to the second end, and a ledge surfacebetween the first end and the second end, wherein the ledge surfaceextends from an is substantially perpendicular to the side surface,wherein the ledge surface is spaced from and opposes the inner surfaceof the trim panel at a distance, wherein the ramping, increasing heightof the side surface defines the ledge surface to be a ramp surface,wherein the distance between the ledge surface and the inner surface ofthe trim panel is greater proximate the first end of the at least onemounting portion than that of the second end of the at least onemounting portion.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theattachment member includes two mounting portions.
 3. The apparatusaccording to claim 2 further comprising at least one detent integrallyformed with said inner surface of the trim panel, wherein the at leastone detent is disposed between the two mounting portions.
 4. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mountingportion is defined to include an L-shaped cross-section.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mountingportion is defined to include an arcuate shape.
 6. An assembly,comprising: a trim panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;and an attachment member integrally formed with said inner surface ofthe trim panel, wherein the attachment member includes at least onemounting portion, wherein the at least one mounting portion includes afirst end, a second end opposite the first end, a side surface betweenthe first end and the second end, wherein the side surface defines theat least one mounting portion to include a ramping, increasing height asthe side surface extends from the first end to the second end, and aledge surface between the first end and the second end, wherein theledge surface extends from an is substantially perpendicular to the sidesurface, wherein the ledge surface is spaced from and opposes the innersurface of the trim panel at a distance, wherein the ramping, increasingheight of the side surface defines the ledge surface to be a rampsurface, wherein the distance between the ledge surface and the innersurface of the trim panel is greater proximate the first end of the atleast one mounting portion than that of the second end of the at leastone mounting portion; and an acoustic device including at least onemounting surface, wherein the at least one mounting surface interfaceswith the ramp surface to dispose the acoustic device adjacentlyproximate the inner surface of the trim panel.
 7. The assembly accordingto claim 6, wherein the attachment member includes two mountingportions, wherein the assembly further comprises at least one detentintegrally formed with said inner surface of the trim panel, wherein theat least one detent is disposed between the two mounting portions. 8.The assembly according to claim 7 further comprising two mountingsurfaces, wherein the acoustic device further comprising at least onerecess disposed between the two mounting surfaces, wherein the at leastone recess interfaces with the at least one detent of the inner surfaceof the trim panel.
 9. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the atleast one mounting portion is defined to include an L-shapedcross-section.
 10. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the atleast one mounting portion is defined to include an arcuate shape. 11.The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the acoustic device furthercomprises an opening, wherein the opening includes a pair of cut-outs.12. An assembly, comprising: an acoustic device; a trim panel having aninner surface and an outer surface; and an attachment member integrallyformed with said inner surface of the trim panel, wherein the attachmentmember includes means for simultaneously ramping and rotationally movingthe acoustic device about an axis extending through the acoustic deviceand trim panel to axially move the acoustic device relative the trimpanel about the axis, wherein the means includes at least one mountingportion, wherein the at least one mounting portion includes a first end,a second end opposite the first end, a side surface between the firstend and the second end, wherein the side surface defines the at leastone mounting portion to include a ramping, increasing height as the sidesurface extends from the first end to the second end, and a ledgesurface between the first end and the second end, wherein the ledgesurface extends from an is substantially perpendicular to the sidesurface, wherein the ledge surface is spaced from and opposes the innersurface of the trim panel at a distance, wherein the ramping, increasingheight of the side surface defines the ledge surface to be a rampsurface, wherein the distance between the ledge surface and the innersurface of the trim panel is greater proximate the first end of the atleast one mounting portion than that of the second end of the at leastone mounting portion.
 13. The assembly according to claim 12, whereinthe attachment member includes two mounting portions, wherein the twomounting portions includes means for locking the acoustic device inplace.
 14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the means forlocking the acoustic device includes at least one detent integrallyformed with said inner surface of the trim panel, wherein the at leastone detent is disposed between the two mounting portions.
 15. Theassembly according to claim 14, wherein the acoustic device furthercomprises two mounting surfaces, and means for receiving the at leastone detent, wherein the means for receiving the at least one detentincludes at least one recess disposed between the two mounting surfaces.16. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the acoustic devicefurther comprises means for allowing the acoustic device to be insertedover the attachment member.
 17. The assembly according to claim 16,wherein the means for allowing includes cutouts formed in an opening ofthe acoustic device.